In an unusual encounter, police officers in San Bruno, California, recently found themselves stopping a driverless Waymo vehicle that executed an illegal U-turn at a traffic light.
The incident, which was shared on the San Bruno Police Department's Facebook page, highlighted the challenges law enforcement faces with autonomous vehicles. The post humorously noted, "Thats right no driver, no hands, no clue."
As reported by Western Journal, the officers, unable to issue a ticket due to the absence of a human driver, reached out to Waymo to address the "glitch." The post further explained, "Since there was no human driver, a ticket couldnt be issued (our citation books dont have a box for robot). Hopefully the reprogramming will keep it from making any more illegal moves."
This incident underscores a significant gap in California's legislative framework concerning self-driving cars, a matter that has sparked debate among policymakers and the public alike.
Peter Finn, the Western Region vice president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, expressed a sentiment shared by many Californians, stating, "I bet everyday Californians wish that, when they made a mistake driving, they got a courtesy note instead of an expensive ticket," as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
In an attempt to address these issues, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1777 last year. However, the legislation, set to take effect in July, only permits police to report incidents involving autonomous vehicles to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Waymo spokeswoman Julia Ilina commented on the San Bruno incident, stating, "We are looking into this situation and are committed to improving road safety through our ongoing learnings and experience."
Meanwhile, a similar occurrence was reported in Atlanta, where a Waymo vehicle allegedly passed a parked school bus with flashing red stop lights, an action that would have resulted in a $1,000 fine for a human driver, according to CBS News.
Robert Sumwalt, former chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, emphasized the need for stringent standards for autonomous vehicles, asserting, "I think they need to be held to a higher standard. Before we have widespread use of self-driving vehicles, weve got to make sure that they are implemented properly."
As the debate over the integration of self-driving technology continues, it is clear that both legislative and technological advancements are necessary to ensure the safety and accountability of these vehicles on public roads.
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